12 tiny and adorable bugs who will change the way you look at insects
Not a fan of insects? We can’t really blame you—creepy crawlies are repeatedly portrayed as ugly, scary, dangerous or downright boring. But take some time to get to know a few species from the mindbogglingly massive world of invertebrates, and you’ll be amazed at how adorable these minibeasts can be. To aid you on your insect … Continued
These amazing Ghibli gifs show off the eye-popping beauty of nature like you've never seen it before
Every Friday we feature the work of an artist, photographer or illustrator who we feel really encapsulates the love for nature we champion. So who better to feature this week than two of the most renowned illustrators of all time—Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, of the world famous Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli. If you’ve ever watched a … Continued
Our top pick of pretty cool penguin (try to quote that quick!)
Penguins are some of the most popular animals around, but did you know that there are 17 recognized species of these lovable birds? They don’t just hang out in Antarctica either: penguins live across the globe, from South America to Australia. Ranging from the unstoppable emperor penguin to the adorable gentoo penguin and the unlikely … Continued
18 powerful GIFs of wild animals in their natural habitats
It’s one thing seeing an animal in a zoo, but an entirely different spectacle seeing the creature in its own wild environment. Indeed, the reason we find nature documentaries so alluring is the opportunity to witness an animal thriving on its own terms; living in a world that it has become perfectly attuned to thanks … Continued
Can you see them? 15 animals with ridiculously good camouflage
Chameleons aren’t the only animals capable of blending in with their surroundings. Mother Nature has filled her world with multiple masters of disguise, whose stealthy camouflage makes them difficult to spot. Try to spy these crafty creatures, whose heroic hiding skills help them to survive.
Creature currency: Nature’s most beloved beasts, as illustrated on the humble banknote
Currency. Every society (more or less) uses it, but have you ever stopped to stare at the amazing array of creatures that are detailed on the back of those crumpled pieces of paper (and now, plastic) we stuff into our pockets and wallets each week? From the Philippines’ pikoy, to Bermuda’s bluebird, onto the splendid … Continued
An insightful probe into the planet's 10 most incredible plants
Plants might just surprise you. If you’re like most people, you find it easy to think of impressive animals—tigers, elephants, maybe something obscure like giant squid—but what about incredible plants? Sure they can’t run and they’re not cute and cuddly, but being literally rooted to a single spot they have had to evolve some remarkable … Continued
We asked a cryptozoologist whether mythical creatures could actually exist
Have you ever glimpsed a strange animal or unknown creature looking like it had jumped straight out of a book on mythology and folklore? Probably not, but some do—many of these people then report their sightings to Cryptozoology News. Michael Bachman is the founder of the website, a journalistic platform for those who have sighted a cryptid, defined by Wikipedia as ‘an … Continued
Inky the octopus pulls off great escape from NZ aquarium
In scenes that could have been lifted straight from Finding Nemo, an ingenious octopus has pulled off a daring escape from New Zealand’s National Aquarium. Inky, a rugby ball–sized octopus, managed to bust out of his tank under the cloak of darkness, before legging it across the floor, clambering down a 50-metre drainpipe and disappearing … Continued
9 bizarre and ridiculous laws about animals
Law enforcers around the world have come up with some pretty strange rules to keep citizens and their animals in check. While some merely seem outdated, others are baffling enough to make you wonder why they ever existed in the first place. We’ve scoured the records to find some of the world’s weirdest animal laws … Continued
Weird fish
There are almost 28,000 known species of fish in the Earth’s rivers and oceans. They come in various shapes and sizes with different behaviours and life cycles but the one thing many of them do have in common is that, to our mammalian eyes, they are weird. Here is just a small selection of the … Continued
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a homemade symbol of nature's love
As anyone who read yesterday’s article will know, the Japanese, or red-crowned, crane is widely regarded as a symbol of love, luck and fidelity. In fact—according to Japanese lore—if a hard working and dedicated individual folds one thousand origami paper cranes, then they’ll be granted a single wish come true or a lifetime of good fortune. So whilst it may … Continued
Illustrator creates beautiful images of nature's families for his newborn daughter
What would you draw if your child had just been born? For Newcastle-based illustrator Michael Sutton it was a beautiful array of different animal families. The designer, who currently works at Sumo, explained: ‘I’m a big lover of nature and I originally created those illustrations for my daughter. She had just been born and I really wanted to create a series of illustrations … Continued
A spider named Cash (not Sue)
A newly discovered species of spider has just been named after Johnny Cash. The tarantula, which you can now call Aphonopelma johnnycashi (anything but Sue), lives in the foothills of Folsom Prison in California, where Cash famously recorded a live album while playing a series of concerts for inmates in the late 1960s. But that’s … Continued
It's Groundhog Day! Here's 7 expressive animals that all look a little like Bill Murray
Bill Murray has a few things in common with the animal kingdom: he’s lovable, fascinating to watch and capable of pulling some fantastic facial expressions when caught off guard. To celebrate Groundhog Day (a holiday synonymous with the famous Bill Murray film of the same name), here are a bunch of kooky creatures who share … Continued
Meet the goat who ran away from slaughter and won his freedom
This is Braveheart—the famous @Lowellgoat who spent a month last year on the lam in New England’s brutal winter wilderness, now living it up at a farm animal sanctuary. The legend of the @Lowellgoat, aka Braveheart, began last Boxing Day on a small Massachusetts farm: Oliveira’s Piggery in Tewksbury. The Piggery supplies the region’s Muslim community—and anybody … Continued
To celebrate Christmas, here's our 10 most popular articles from 2015
It’s Christmas day; you’re probably gathered around the tree right now, swapping presents and preparing for the sumptuous feast of food to follow. But to the natural world, today is the same as any other day and that means—at least for the northern hemisphere—surviving another 24 hours of winter’s bleak embrace. Mother Nature may not stop … Continued
18 life-affirming GIFs of adorable and unlikely animal friendships
When bad stuff happens in the world, sometimes you just need to kick back and watch images of big, cuddly orang-utans playing with ridiculously cute tiger cubs. If that’s not doing it for you, a plucky labrador who’s made friends with an enormous African elephant might. Alternatively, feast your eyes on the various creatures who … Continued
20 of the best animal GIFs on the internet
You’ve probably seen hundreds of cats and dogs doing funny, clever and adorable stuff on the internet. But there are plenty of other animals who also deserve your LOLs, OMGs and awwws. To prove it, we’ve rounded up some of the best animal GIFs from around the web. From peckish sloth babies to hippos swallowing … Continued
This year’s funniest animal photographs have been revealed
An esteemed collection of wildlife experts, photographers and comedians recently assembled in London to answer a pressing question: which animal photo is the funniest? Entrants of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards were challenged to depict a humorous side in animals that need protecting. Faced with a daunting number of images, the judges eventually made a … Continued
Siberia’s Tungsuka Event, the unexplainable explosion 1000 times greater than an atomic bomb
‘It was like the sky opened up and split in half. I put my hands in front of my eyes and I could see the bones in my hands.’ The name of the Evenki tribeswoman—who thus described the enormous explosion that rattled the earth and tore the sky asunder above Vanavara in Siberia shortly after … Continued
Swedish film company pays tribute to Monty Python with this funny, yet beautiful film
Today is the 40th anniversary of Monty Python’s iconic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail and—in a bit of spirited high jinx—a Swedish company decided to pay tribute to the British comedy group with a modern interpretation of their classic Lumberjack Song. Based out of the fifth largest city Västerås, Film Kollektivet’s short film … Continued
The many different industries animals can get a job in
Are you a non-human animal looking to break out of a humdrum routine of survival and reproduction? Good news: many employers are recruiting candidates just like you. Scroll through (if your appendages allow) and find your dream job. Landscaping If you’re a goat who’s hungry for a opportunity, a juicy position in lawn care might … Continued
Baby hippo tries to play with crocodile
Fans of Disney’s Peter Pan know to ‘never smile at a crocodile’, but that does not seem to be a concern for this young hippopotamus. A resident at the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe, George the 9-month-old hippo seems absolutely overcome with joy at the sight of the tolerant croc. According to Karen Paolillo, who … Continued
Amazing drone footage shows a couple of curious whales greeting a paddle-boarder in Australia
Absolutely stunning drone footage has emerged of the moment when two whales swam through a crystal-clear ocean to greet an Australian paddle-boarder. The serene video shows the southern right whales calmly approaching Dave Price through still and turquoise waters near the town of Esperance in Western Australia—the footage perfectly accompanied by a Jack Johnson cover … Continued
The world’s first ever Croc-Cow! Thai villagers mystified by ‘half buffalo, half crocodile hybrid’
It would be a touch melodramatic to say that onlookers in a remote Thai village were left terrified by the appearance of a weird-looking creature in their midsts. But they’re definitely intrigued and more than a little confused—as we all are—about how this abnormal creation came about. One glance at the video—taken in High Rock, Wang Hin—shows … Continued